Marathon experience proves to be timeless

Its senior-most participants love the thrill of the race

Dorothy Terukina has learned to just let her husband go. At 90, Meiso "Bob" Terukina is determined to tackle another race tomorrow, as the oldest entrant in the Honolulu Marathon.

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"We don't want him to run anymore; we want him to walk because age-wise ..." his wife said yesterday, letting her voice trail off.

"Even if I run," countered the Kauai-born marathoner, "the ladies who are walking will overtake me!"

Not far from the Terukinas' home near Kahala Mall, 87-year-old Gladys "Glady" Burrill logged five miles yesterday morning in preparation for the marathon, before returning to her Waikiki apartment. Exhilarated by her experience at last year's Honolulu Marathon -- her first ever -- the part-time Hawaii resident is ready for more.

As far as marathon officials know, Bob Terukina and Glady Burrill are the senior male and female entrants in tomorrow's 26-mile race, which has attracted 25,671 entries from 40 countries. Both weigh 130 pounds, and they used to be the same height -- 5-foot-6 -- but Terukina said he has shrunk an inch with age.

Both are old enough to have great-grandchildren, although Burrill has Terukina outnumbered, 16 to one.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Meiso "Bob" Terukina Age: 90 Height: 5'5" Weight: 130 pounds Hometown: Honolulu

The Honolulu race, which starts at 5 a.m., is known for its aloha-spirited open-door policy. There is no qualifying time required for participants, and the finish line stays open until the last person crosses. By late afternoon the big finish archway and electronic timing mats are taken away, but an official remains on duty until the emotional end.

"Everyone has their story," said Dr. Jim Barahal, president of the Honolulu Marathon. "It's important that people realize that you do the best you can, and however long it takes, there'll be someone for you at the end."

The race's open-arms philosophy has made it especially popular among runners from Japan, where almost all marathons have time limits. There, runners are embarrassingly pulled off the course if they do not finish in time.

In Honolulu the last finishers stumble in long after sunset, their way lit by the headlights of vehicles, which break into honks to celebrate their accomplishment.

Terukina, who ran his first marathon in 1972 and says he has logged "plenty" since then, has a modest goal for tomorrow's race.

"As long as I'm before the last one, it's OK with me," he said with a grin. He will be wearing a headband with the word "aloha."

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM Gladys "Glady" Burrill Age: 87 Height: 5'6" Weight: 130 pounds Hometown: Prospect, Ore.

Dorothy Terukina said she is not nervous about what her husband is undertaking.

"I'm used to it already," she sighed. "You've got to leave him alone. He wants to do his own thing."

Burrill will be joined in the race by two of her children, Mike Burrill Sr. and Sandi Knudson, two grandsons, and one of their wives. Glady Burrill hopes to finish in eight hours. Last year, she clocked 9 hours and 9 minutes, slowed by well-wishers.

"She stopped too many times along the way to hug people," said Gene, her husband for nearly 66 years. "I told her she'd better not do that this time."

The retired lumberman shed tears at the sight of his wife completing the race last year.

"I kind of blew my top when I saw her coming down the finish line," he said. "I just never thought she'd make it. She's a very determined Swede."

He needn't have doubted. The Burrills, who live in Prospect, Ore., have been active all their lives. When her eldest daughter, Celeste, was just 6 weeks old, Glady Burrill climbed Mount Hood. That was 64 years ago.

"Some of my friends and family are horrified at the things I've done," Glady Burrill said. "Like when I walked a mile across the frozen Fraser (River) in Canada. I tell them, if you haven't dared, you haven't lived."

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Sunday’s marathon to cause several disruptions

There will be multiple road closures and restrictions for tomorrow's Honolulu Marathon from downtown Honolulu through East Oahu to Hawaii Kai and Waikiki.

Beginning at 12:30 a.m., one or more lanes will be closed and/or coned in various neighborhoods until the athletes complete each section of the course. Tow-away zones are in effect from 1 a.m. until 5 p.m.

According to the Honolulu Marathon Web site, the following roads will be affected by the race:

» Ala Moana Boulevard from Atkinson Drive to Ward Avenue will be detoured from 12:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.

» H-1 in both directions from the Waialae Avenue offramp/22nd Avenue to Ainakoa Avenue will be detoured from 3:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

» Kalakaua Avenue will be detoured left onto Paoakalani Avenue from 8:30 a.m.

» The mauka side between Monsarrat Avenue and Poni Moi Road on Kalakaua Avenue will be affected from 4:30 a.m. until the marathon is over. The makai lanes will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic at about 9 a.m. It will be limited to resident traffic only; patrons of the Outrigger Canoe Club and Elks Club must enter via Kapahulu Avenue.

» Kapahulu Avenue makai-bound will be closed at Kuhio Avenue at 1:30 a.m. Local traffic will be allowed after 9 a.m.

» All eastbound lanes at Kilauea Avenue from 18th to Waialae avenues will be closed at 4 a.m. until runners clear the area. Westbound lanes will be contra-flowed to permit two-way traffic. Vehicles exiting the lower Kahala area must cross Kilauea Avenue at Hunakai Street.

» Kalanianaole Highway from Ainakoa Street to Hawaii Kai Drive makai side will have restricted access from 2:30 a.m. The mauka side of the highway will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic. Westbound Kalanianaole will be detoured onto Ainakoa Street to Malia Street to Kilauea Avenue.

» Hawaii Kai Drive makai lanes from Kalanianaole Highway to Keahole Street will be closed from about 2:30 a.m. until the area is clear. The mauka side lanes will be contra-flowed for two-way traffic.

» Kalanianaole Highway will be closed to through traffic from Hawaii Kai Drive to Keahole Street from about 3:30 a.m. until the area is clear. Traffic will be detoured onto Hawaii Kai Drive via Kawaihae to Lunalilo Home Road.

» Keahole Street makai-bound lanes will be closed from about 2:30 a.m. until the area is clear. Traffic will be contra-flowed in the mauka-bound lanes for two-way flow.

Traffic in the Diamond Head, Kapiolani Park and Kahala areas will also be disrupted. For more street closure and restriction details, see the Honolulu Marathon Web site at www.honolulumarathon.org/trafficalert.html.

Some bus routes will be canceled or detoured. Bus riders can call TheBus at 848-5555 or visit the Oahu Transit Services Web site at www.thebus.org for details.

For race-day traffic questions, call 792-6630.